Guardian Angel

Summary:
Edward Swan willingly removes himself from the Vally of the Sun in favor of Forks, to live with his father, Charlie in a sunless town completley opposite to his taste. He intends to remain anonymous; to suffer in silence and make his mother, Renee, happy. Bella Cullen is a hundred year old vampire with a rather mundane existence. She loves her family; her sisters Alice and Rose, her brothers, her 'parents'... But she can't shake the feeling that something's missing... When Bella meets Edward, both of thier lives are irrevocably altered. The trouble's in admitting it...and wether Edward, fragile and frustratingly human, will survive the journey before Bella gives into temptation. ** I know this idea has been done a thousand times over, but I just couldn't help myself! This actually follows the Twilight plotline really losely; I figured a LOT would be different if Edward was the human one. [banner removed per site regulations]

5. Chapter 5; First Day

Midway through the semester was not the best time to be entering a new school. Especially not if the school happens to be in a abysmally small town and your father just happens to be chief of police.

But I didn’t really care what people thought of me - school was nothing more than a necessary evil; and I was intending on focusing on my schoolwork. That way, my predictable lack of a social life and friends wouldn’t bother me all to much.

Forks high school consisted of an assembly of small-ish buildings, the forefront of which being the administrative offices. I pulled into the teacher’s parking lot before the office building, not wanting to look the fool driving around looking for a parking space when I had no idea where to go in the first place.

The receptionist, a matronly woman who had to be at least thirty years older than me, showed a little too much interest while I explained that I was a new student. Her interest only heightened when I told her my name.

“Chief Swan’s son?” She’d exclaimed, looking at me with new, critical eyes. It seemed like she was trying to determine my paternity through my appearance alone. I resisted very hard the urge to roll my eyes as I nodded.

Two minutes later I was out in the cold again - literally. It was misting faintly today, and the fine drops of precipitation clung to my skin and stuck in my hair like frost on a window. I grimaced, waving my arms around slightly like the annoying mist was a cloud of insects rather than unavoidable weather.

A few girls giggled where they were sitting on a bench as I passed. I dropped my arms instantly, feeling as big an idiot as I must have looked. Today was going to be just perfect, I could tell.

I phased out during most of my first period class - the teacher made me introduce myself in front of the class, then I’d tripped over someone’s backpack on my way to the only empty seat, catching myself just before the floor made friends with my face. I didn’t pay attention to the lecture, instead glossing over the reading list I’d been given. Classics. I’d read them all a million times before.

When the bell finally rang, I jumped out of my seat and fled the classroom - the entire population of students had managed to stare at me during the entire lesson, and I was desperate to escape.

“Hey, Edward Swan, right?”

I turned to the overly peppy voice that came from my left and was met with the sight of a boy with jet black hair and skin problems. “I’m Eric,” he introduced himself before I’d confirmed his original question. “Do you need help getting to your next class?”

I considered the boy before me. He seemed nice enough, even if he was a little bit more forward than I’d prefer. But my first impression was that of a helpful, decent kid. A friend? Maybe. I’d have to see. “Sure,” I told him, holding out my hand for him to shake.

He looked at my hand questioningly for a moment, like he didn’t know what to do with it. What was with these Forks people? Was a handshake not a customary greeting here? Where were the civilities? Just as I was about to pull my hand back, Eric slapped me an awkwardly angled high five. I groaned internally. “Nice to meet you,” I said out loud, smiling the trademarked smile that usually got me my way with anyone - male or female.

“Um, you too, man,” Eric said, shaking his head slightly as though my behavior was an oddity. I sighed under my breath. Today was going to be one long day.